In progress at UNHQ

Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development,
7th & 8th Meetings (AM & PM)
DEV/3472

‘Opening New Path’, Sevilla Platform for Action Envisions over 130 Specific Actions to Mobilize Development Resources, Spain’s President Says, as Conference Concludes

SEVILLA, SPAIN (3 July) — Closing the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, President of Spain, commended participants for “doing the right thing when it was absolutely crucial to do so”.

“There is no clear fate that condemns a person to a life of misery just because they were born at a certain latitude,” he said, speaking in his capacity as President of the Conference.

Spotlighting “transformative” debates held within an “inclusive, participatory process”, President Sánchez said that the Sevilla Platform for Action envisions more than 130 specific actions to mobilize resources for development. “Today, we are not just closing a conference, we are opening up a new path,” he went on to say, stressing that, when years have gone by, those present today will look back on this moment with pride.

Also delivering closing remarks, Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, recalled that the last four days have seen formal sessions, six multi-stakeholder round tables, 400 side meetings and “countless” bilateral sessions.  “The Sevilla Conference has delivered a powerful response,” she stated, adding that the Sevilla Platform for Action includes a debt-pause alliance and a new tool for multilateral development banks to manage currency risks.

Sevilla Commitment Lauded for Recognition of $4 Trillion Financing Gap, Yet More Concrete Action Needed to Protect Vulnerable Groups, Future Generations

“Progress has been achieved,” said the representative of Iraq, speaking for the Group of 77 and China, as the plenary turned to explanations of vote on the Sevilla Commitment, which was adopted on 30 June.  (See Press Release DEV/3464.)  He welcomed the Commitment’s explicit recognition of the $4 trillion financing gap, the principle of “common-but-differentiated responsibility” and the right to development.  “The deliverables must be translated into concrete action on the ground,” he stressed.

Earlier in the day, several United Nations agencies working across food security, education, child welfare, employment, telecommunications, migration and disaster risk reduction welcomed the document’s ambition, but emphasized that more concrete actions are urgently needed to protect vulnerable populations and future generations.

Agency representatives agreed that, while the Sevilla Commitment lays essential groundwork — bridging the funding gaps in critical sectors, such as health, education, infrastructure and climate resilience, will require major shifts in policy, political will and financial architecture.  Many stressed that the needs of the most marginalized — including children, refugees and the rural poor — must remain central to any financial planning, and that transformative, equity-driven investment is the only viable path to sustainable development.

Focus on Food Security

The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) representative called the conference a “crucial opportunity to mobilize finance” for a more inclusive and sustainable agricultural system.  He welcomed the Commitment’s attention to food insecurity, particularly in developing countries.  Similarly, the speaker for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) emphasized the maturity of Integrated National Financial Frameworks, describing them as a “central pillar of development policy” and a tool for accountability in mobilizing and tracking sustainable financing.  Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), said that “where poverty begins, there it must end”.  And yet, “too many Governments are forced to choose between paying their creditors and feeding their people”, he said.

“Children don’t live in global policy frameworks, they live in war zones, small island developing States and in our homes,” said the representative for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). She warned that, unless the world finances a better future for children, broader conversations about development will remain futile.  “Children are not a cost to be managed,” she said, underscoring that they are paying the price for global fiscal austerity.

More Funding Needed for Education, Culture, Science

From the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) came a plea for “transformative action” in the underfunded sectors of education, culture and sciences — critical for unlocking human potential.  “Education stands as one of humanity’s most powerful forces for positive transformation,” Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO’s Director-General, said, noting that average debt levels of 72 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in low-income countries sharply restrict fiscal space for education.

Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General for the International Labour Organization (ILO), argued that investing in social protection systems generates “remarkable returns”, but is too often overlooked.   Gerd Müller, Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), highlighted the importance of engaging private investment, especially as international financial commitments wane.  “We serve as a bridge,” he said.

Calls to Bridge Digital Divide

The International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) representative stressed that $1.6 trillion is needed by 2030 to bridge the digital divide.  “Digital infrastructure gaps are a reflection of global socioeconomic gaps,” its representative said, linking access to digital tools with economic opportunity.

Centeno Rossbach, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), warned that “sustainable development will be either won or lost in cities,” urging a re-think of land as a development lever.  The speaker for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) highlighted declining foreign direct investment and mounting debt burdens, stating its readiness to support reforms laid out in the Sevilla Commitment.

Regional Organizations Ready to Do Their Part

Regional organizations echoed these concerns.  Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, asserted:  “Africa stands ready to play its part,” adding that the Sevilla Commitment “rightly recognizes” the special challenges faced by African nations and other vulnerable economies.  Representing Latin America, the speaker for the Ibero-American Conference described its cooperative approach as “horizontal, multi-stakeholder and multi-level”, offering a model for future international cooperation.

Role of South-South, Triangular Cooperation

Dima al-Khatib, Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, noted rising interest in triangular partnerships and reiterated its role in offering strategic support to developing countries. Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean emphasized the role of legislatures in shaping fiscal policy and fostering investment.  “As legislators, we are ready to do our job,” its speaker said.

Rabab Fatima, High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, stressed that the global financial system was never designed for these countries.  “This conference must be a turning point,” she urged, calling for solidarity and partnership with only five years remaining in the decade for action.

Other UN agency leaders also spoke throughout the day, reinforcing the urgent need for people-centred financing.  Addressing issues ranging from migration and health to the refugee and climate change crises, they warned that, without adequate funding, the world risks deepening existing inequalities and falling short of its development goals.

Public Health, Disaster Risk Reduction Must Be at Forefront

“When Indonesia adopts gender-responsive budgets, or Rwanda expands sexual and reproductive health through domestic health insurance, everyone benefits and economies thrive,” said Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).  And yet, far too often, social spending comes last — and that must change, she said.  Echoing the urgency, the representative of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) warned that, without immediate action to fix the disruption in health financing, “there could be an additional 4 million AIDS-related deaths and 6 million new HIV infections by 2029.”  He stressed that developing countries must increase domestic health spending — a goal currently out of reach.  Debt burdens are mounting across the Global South, he said, adding:  two thirds of African States spend more on debt than health.

The representative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) underscored the need to better harness the potential of remittances and diaspora investments, calling for enhanced digital financial inclusion for migrants and lower remittance transfer costs.  Meanwhile, the representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) drew attention to the staggering number of forcibly displaced persons — 123 million by the end of 2024.  “This reality places significant strain on public resources, services and national budgets,” she said, emphasizing the need to “recognize hosting refugees as a global public good”.

The representative of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction emphasized that disaster risks are accelerating “faster than the capacity of countries to reduce them”.  The consequences, he warned, are mounting:  “The result is more-expensive disasters.”  He called for regulatory reforms and financial incentives to ensure that both public and private investments are informed by risk assessments.  “Financing disaster risk reduction is not a cost, it’s an investment,” he said, adding:  “Every dollar invested in resilience saves multiple in avoided losses.”

For information media. Not an official record.